SF Pride hires new leader

NEWS

by Seth Hemmelgarn

Organizers of the San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade and
celebration have hired a new leader, replacing an executive director who'd
garnered praise for helping to save the event from serious financial and
leadership problems.

Earl Plante has been appointed chief executive officer by
the San Francisco LGBT Pride Celebration Committee's Board of Directors, which
in a news release called him a "long time advocate and executive leader of
nonprofit organizations that work to empower the LGBT community."

His most recent job appears to have been at New York City's
Latino Commission on AIDS. He replaces Executive Director Brendan Behan, who
had expressed a desire to stay on the job.

In a phone interview, Pride board President Lisa Williams
said among the reasons for Plante's selection was his leadership skills and
experience in strategic and event planning.

Plante has some "great ideas," said Williams, related
to grant writing, working with community partners, and putting on events in
addition to the main June festival, such as workshops.

The Pride Committee has seemed to have enough on its hands
just putting on the festival in recent years, but Williams said, "Part of
our mission statement is to educate the community and Earl is the right leader to do that."

In the news release Plante stated, "I look forward to
working closely with SF Pride leadership, sponsors, and the diversity of
community stakeholders as we continue to build upon SF Pride's mission and
visionary legacy."

The board's recent decision to seek replacement for Behan
caught many, including Behan, by surprise. The move seemed to be based on a
desire for Behan to be an at-will employee, meaning the board could terminate
him at any time.

Pride's news release says Plante will begin transitioning to
the Bay Area in mid-December. Williams declined to say what his salary would
be. She said Behan, whose salary has been $80,000, would be helping Plante make
his transition, but she didn't say when Behan's last day would be.

Behan became Pride's interim executive director in April
2011 and eventually gained the permanent position. The top post had been vacant
since former Executive Director Amy Andre left in November 2010, just over a
year after she started the job.

Soon after the 2010 celebration, several community partners
complained that Pride had shortchanged them. In December 2010, the city
controller's office revealed that the nonprofit was $225,000 in debt. As of
September, most of that had been paid down.

Pride's news release says Plante joins Pride from the Latino
Commission on AIDS, where he served as development director. But staff at that
organization said that Plante left there more than six months ago, before
Pride's search for a new leader started.

Plante has also worked as executive director of One Voice
Political Action Committee, an organization that works to elect progressive
candidates to Congress. He's also worked as chief operating officer for the
National Black Justice Coalition and as development director for the National
Minority AIDS Council.

According to his Linked In profile, he's had four jobs since
January 2005. His Facebook profile, which indicates he's bisexual, says he's
40.

Board member quits

Just as Pride prepares to greet Plante, board member Bill
Hemenger, who had served as treasurer since early 2011, has resigned.

In a phone interview, Hemenger said he quit because of
"time limitations," and because he was brought on "to help
balance the books and help get [Pride] in the black," which he said has
been accomplished. David Currie is the board's new treasurer.